The Love Letter (1923 film)

The Love Letter
The Love Letter
	Trade advertisement
Directed by	King Baggot
Screenplay by	Hugh Hoffman
Story by	Bradley King
Starring	Gladys Walton; Fontaine La Rue; George Cooper; Edward Hearn; Walt Whitman; Alberta Lee
Cinematography	Victor Milner
Production; company	Universal Pictures
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date	February 9, 1923;
Running time	50 minutes
Country	United States
Language	Silent (English intertitles)

The Love Letter is a 1923 American drama film directed by King Baggot and written by Hugh Hoffman. The film stars Gladys Walton, Fontaine La Rue, George Cooper, Edward Hearn, Walt Whitman, and Alberta Lee. The film was released on February 9, 1923, by Universal Pictures.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Plot

As described in a film magazine,^[4] Mary Ann McKee (Walton) is released from an overalls factory for secreting mash notes in the pockets of the finished clothing. An answer she received appeals to her and she shows it to her steady beau Red Mike Johnson, who jealously warns her to write no more love letters. Red Mike forces her to act as a lookout while his gang pulls a robbery that night. Mike is caught, but Mary Ann escapes and flees the city, deciding to look up the author of the letter that appealed to her. In the country she finds its author, Bill Carter (Hearn), a young village blacksmith. it turns out that he did not actually write the letter, it having been sent by his friends as a joke on him. He decides to assist her and induces the village minister Reverend Halloway (Whitman) and his wife (Lee) to adopt Mary Ann. Later Bill marries Mary Ann and their life is made happy by the arrival of a child. Then one day Red Mike appears, demanding the money he gave Mary Ann the night of the robbery but which she had thrown away. He is determined to take Mary Ann back with him to the city. Bill comes into the home and Red Mike covers him with a gun. Knowing that her husband might be killed, Mary Ann lies and tells Red Mike that she loves him. Heart-broken, Bill collapses into a chair. Mary Ann picks up her baby to kiss it goodbye. Seeing in Mary Ann the attitude of the Madonna stirs the religious faith of Red Mike, and with a confession he leaves.

Cast

Gladys Walton as Mary Ann McKee
Fontaine La Rue as Kate Smith
George Cooper as Red Mike Johnson
Edward Hearn as Bill Carter
Walt Whitman as Reverend Halloway
Alberta Lee as Mrs. Halloway
Lucy Donahue as Mrs. Carter

References

^ "The Love Letter (1923) - Overview". TCM.com. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
^ Janiss Garza. "The Love Letter (1923) - King Baggot". AllMovie. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
^ "The Love Letter". Catalog.afi.com. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
^ "The Love Letter: Released by Universal". Exhibitor's Trade Review. 13 (12). East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania: Exhibitor's Trade Review, Inc.: 626 February 17, 1923.